Hey there! If you are here that probably means that you just got engaged and for that you deserve huge CONGRATULATIONS! I am so exited for you guys, this is one of the most beautiful things in life. Saying yes to the person you are choosing to share your life with. There are so many people out there in the world but you just found each other and it is more powerful than life itself and you don’t want to spend any second longer without that person by your side. What en amazing feeling and how lucky you are to have found that person!
I bet there is a lot going in your mind right now but I hope I can help you guys to start this process as easy as possible and take the stress factor a little down. Wedding planning is not the easiest thing but this is YOUR TIME and you should ENJOY every second of it!
JUST A SECOND
Before you even go into all the planning details take some space for yourself to enjoy this time, just a second before you tell everyone the big news. Maybe even take a small vacation and just take this moment in. Through out the wedding planning you will be surrounded with family and friends until the day itself so taking a second for just the two of you before you start. This can really help keeping things more easy going :). This is also a good time to start talking about what kind of wedding you guys want before other people come and you will be overwhelmed by everyone’s opinion (because everyone got one 😉 ). Let people join YOUR energy then the other way around!
1- SHARE THE LOVE
Share the happy news with the people you love the most. I bet you have some amazing people in your life that are going to jump up and down when they hear the happy news. Make a list of the people closest to you to make sure you don’t forget anyone in the excitement 😉 .
2- DON’T DREAM IT, BE IT
Start dreaming. This is the part when nothing is too big or too small. Dream big, get creative, write down all the ideas and dreams you have for this day and start getting a picture in your mind of what kind of wedding you want to have. You want a small intimate wedding with only your closest friends and family? You want a big party? Boho/romantic/ Classic? There are a lot of choices to make but first of all just open your mind to the different ideas. If you find yourself stuck or you just don’t know where to start then Pinterest is a great platform to get inspired. Take the time to look around and put together some first boards of things that inspire you or that you would like to have. Junebug Weddings is also a great website to see some inspiration along side with Green Wedding Shoes and Hochzeitswahn.
Don’t forget, there might come a time when you have different ideas about your wedding but the whole beauty of this day is how two people are coming together so don’t be afraid to mixing ideas up and get creative. Its much more important to have a happy wedding then a perfect one!
3- REALITY BITES
It’s time to talk money. This might not be the most fun part of the wedding planning but in order to continue it’s better to deal with this early on than realising later that you can’t afford what you have been planning. Start by creating 3 lists:
First list should include all the “must have” For example: location, wedding dress, suite, flowers, band,…
Second list is for all the stuff you really really want to have but it’s not as important as the first list even though you would still like to try your best to have those.
And Third list if for all the extra stuff that would make you happy if you can have them but you can easily say no to.
Don’t be afraid, these lists can change and evolve as you go and they are there to help you create some organisation in your mind and have the first picture of what your budget might be. It is not written in stone 😉 .
4- YOU’RE MY BEST FRIEND
Now that you pretty much closed your budget it’s time to create you guest list. Closing it ahead and have en about number of how many guests will attend is going to help you with knowing how much money you can spend on caterers and what venue would suite you. There is a big difference between organising a big wedding or a small one and when you start contacting your first vendors it would be a big help to have a guest number ready.
5- YOUR PARTNER IN CRIME
About the next step, different people might tell you different things but in my opinion this step can help you a lot with the next part of your wedding planning, and that is- Choosing Your Photographer. From all the people who are going to take part in this wedding there is one person who is going to be in front of your face the whole day and that is your photographer. This should be one of the most important choices you make when planning your wedding. Some couples are making the mistake of choosing a photographer only by the style of photos they make, and don’t get me wrong, it is very important that you like their style but, you should really take the time to choose a photographer that understands you, a photographer that will support you during the day instead of making it harder. Your photographer should be someone you can trust and someone you can be yourself with. Just imagine spending 10 hours with a person you don’t get along with that good, and you can understand why this is such en important decision 😉 .
Now getting to how your photographer can help you with the next steps of planning: As photographers we know most of the people in the industry and we can help you choose the right vendors for your style. We can help you find the dress, the flowers, the location etc. When you close your photographer you just added another person on the list with a lot of information about wedding planning, budget, timeline and basically everything that has to do with your wedding day. Let them help you and don’t be afraid to ask for suggestions. I personally take the time to sit with each one of my couples helping them organise details from planning the wedding timeline to buying a dress to DIY projects. I am always happy that I can help my couples to make this process a much easier one.
6- LOCATION & DATE
Now it’s time to decided when would you like to have your big day and where will you celebrate it. For some having a beautiful location for their wedding is the first priority and for other it’s about having a nice date on the calendar and this is why I put these two together. When going around looking for locations don’t forget to ask a lot of questions and take photos so that you can remember later the details. I don’t know about you but I can get overwhelmed sometimes when I see a lot of options in a short amount of time and writing down important points or taking photos helps me remember things for later. Whatever it is that can help in the process, use it!
7- SAY CHEESE
It is finally time for some real fun!
Now that you’ve got your date set, you choose the location and you booked your photographer it’s time for a supper fun engagement session! I recommend to book your engagement session pretty early in the process so that you can use the photos for your “saving the date” cards and invitations. Take advantage of this engagement session to get to know your photographer and build up a relationship so that when it comes to the wedding day you can feel comfortable in their presence and trust me it would make a big difference on your day.
For me this session is a very important part in the process. Getting to know my couples and their stories builds a much deeper relationship and helps me tell their stories the way it should be told. Ask yourself this, “can my photographer capture real moments of us without really knowing us?” .
8- THE FORCE
Putting your vendors list together. Location and photos are just the beginning and now it’s time to find the right people to create the day you are dreaming off. From music to make up, see that you surround yourself with people that understand your vision and can give you what you want. Every single person in this process can make a big difference on how your wedding day and planning will be so don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions and I really recommend to do face to face meetings in order to create a more personal connection.
Feeling it might be all too much for you? There is alway the option of going with a wedding planner. They can make your life a lot easier with taking the time to know your vision and to bring together the best people for you.
9- JUST THE WAY YOU ARE
Shopping time! Whether you are a strait or en LGBT, buying your wedding artillery has probably been something you’ve already started to think about if not dreaming about… Well its time to go out there and find the perfect fit! I really recommend not to wait with this too long, some companies can take up to a few months to get your dress or suit ready. When you try out your outfit remember to move in it, see that you can sit down and move around comfortably. Remember, no matter how beautiful your dress or suit is if it not comfortable then don’t take it. There is nothing more annoying then spending a whole day wearing something you can’t move in! You can take a friend or a family member to come with you but be true to yourself and don’t let their opinion change yours. Go with your gut.
I wrote a blog about how to find the perfect dress for you! Click HERE to read it
10- TOGETHER WE ARE BETTER
There might be a lot of details in wedding planning but the most important part to remember is to always be there for one another. Be one’s shoulder and support each other so that both of you get to your wedding with enough energy and power to take over the dance floor and rock this day full power! It’s not going to be worth it if you arrive to your wedding dead tired and with not enough energy, so keep en eye for each other and make sure that you share the weight of the planning together. Because together you can tackle everything!
